. A practical handbook of British birds . usually July-Oct., but owing to irregularbreeding period moulting juveniles are found in all months. Firstwinter body-plumage (especially back and rump) begins to growbefore juvenile outer primaries are complete. Measurements and structure.—$ wing 235-255 mm., tail 140-156, tarsus 30-37, bill from feathers 21-24 (12 British measured). ? wing 235-255. Pri-maries : 1st very smalland hidden by primary-coverts, 3rd and 4thlongest but occasionallyone 2 mm. shorter, 2ndand 5th 9-20 shorter,6th 28-40 shorter ; 3rd^ to 5th slightly emar- ginated on outer webs.
. A practical handbook of British birds . usually July-Oct., but owing to irregularbreeding period moulting juveniles are found in all months. Firstwinter body-plumage (especially back and rump) begins to growbefore juvenile outer primaries are complete. Measurements and structure.—$ wing 235-255 mm., tail 140-156, tarsus 30-37, bill from feathers 21-24 (12 British measured). ? wing 235-255. Pri-maries : 1st very smalland hidden by primary-coverts, 3rd and 4thlongest but occasionallyone 2 mm. shorter, 2ndand 5th 9-20 shorter,6th 28-40 shorter ; 3rd^ to 5th slightly emar- ginated on outer w i t>- 7 t. 7 i. x Tail square, 12 feathers, The Wood-Pigeon (Columbap. palvmbus). ,. \. , , tips slightly rather slender at tip, upper mandible slightly decurvedand projecting, base rather flat and broad, with soft fleshymembranes, irregularly granulated, over nostrils which have slit-like openings in fore and lower part of membranes. Tarsi veryshort, feathered in front nearly half-way down. Toes fairly long,. THE WOOD-PIGEON. 479 three directed forwards and one on same level backwards, some-what flattened underneath ; claws rather slender, slightly curvedand rather sharp. Soft parts.—Bill pink, tip yellowish to dull white ; legs andfeet pink with mauve tinge ; iris pale straw-colour. Characters and allied forms.—C. p. excelsa ( Africa)averages larger but measurements overlap ; C. p. maderensis(Madeira) has considerably darker upper-parts and wing-coverts,usually creamy neck-patches and averages smaller ; C. p. azorica(Azores) is similar to last but stated to have outer tail-featherswith less black tips ; C. p. casiotis (E. Persia, Baluchistan toTurkestan) has dark cream-coloured neck-patches. Wood-Pigeoneasily distinguished from all other British Pigeons by white bandon wing. Field -characters.—White patch on side of neck (except in young)and white bar across wing separate this large, heavily-built birdfrom other British Pigeons. Usual haunts
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1920
